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3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

" (No Model.)

- M. FRYBR.

ELEVATED RAILWAY.

' No. 569,097. v Patented ootfi, 1896.

I ma 7 WITNESSES (No Model.)

No. 569,097. Patented Oct; 6, 1896.

a ShQeES Sheet a;

(No Model.)

- R. M. PRYER.

ELEVATED RAILWAY.

Patented Oct-6, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT M FRYER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

ELEVATED RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 569,097, dated October 6, 1896. Application filed June18,1896. Serial No. 596,025. on) model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. FRYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wash ington, in the District of Columbia, have in-, vented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevated Railways; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The objects of this invention are, first, to provide extraordinary traction, variable in character, without necessarily increasing or diminishing the weight of the locomotive or motor-car; second, to so combine the wheels and track-rails that the contact is increased proportionately as the tractive force is increased through the addition of pressure applied to the driving-wheel, as when the greatest tractive force isrequired; third, to so construct and combine the driving-wheel and track as to provide for ascending any grade and descending the same by positive means, whereas while on the level or slight grades the rack used (as hereinafter shown) gives place to a smooth rail, both of which (or either) are adapted to supplyto the motor, through the driving-wheels and proper connections, the necessary electricity for carrying out the objects of the invention. In order, however, that the same may be readily understood, I shall here refer to two of my already-granted patents, which closely relate to this case and are adapted to work in connection therewithnamely, Improvement in elevated railways, numbered and dated as follows 54:1, 663, June 25, 1895, and 549,851, November 12, 1895. In both of these former cases the rail-supporting ties are so situated as to admit of the introduction and maintenance of a rail (or rails) underneath, which may be used as a tractionrail or may be used as a combined tractionrail and electrical conductor, whereby the electricity may be supplied through this third rail to the motor and from thence discharged through the other rails, or vice versa, avoiding the necessity for an independent trolleywire, trolley-wheels, or any other independ-- ent contact device.

The fourth object of the invention is to provide for the variable traction referred to, which is herein accomplished by supporting the shaft of the driving-wheel (or wheels) on adjustable bearings, preferably regulated by pneumatic or other springs, the pressure of which may be varied automatically or by the hand of the niotorman at pleasure.

With these objects in view I will proceed 'to describe the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a cross-tie for elevated track or track-rails supported by hangers or rods attached to shear-poles in the manner shown, which poles are supported either from the ground or from overhead cable, as circumstances require. The ties are by this arrangement adapted to receive and are duly provided with a combined traction rail and electrical conductor, preferably at or near the center on the under side of the tie,which conductor may be either in the form of a toothed rack or a smooth rail, according to the requirements of the grade to be met with in its location.

Fig. 2 represents in cross-section a motorcar suspended from an overhead track, which track is composed of two rails located at the outer ends of cross-ties, which in turn are supported by suspension-rods, as in the manner shown in Fig. 1 of drawings. In this figure the driving-wheel is located directly underneath the tie, to which the third rail is attached, and likewise under the said rail, wherewith it is brought in contact, with more or less pressure, to produce the required traction without the exercise of undue strain.

Fig. 3 represents in cross-section the driving-wheel shaft as supported in an eccentric bearing, which when oscillated or rotated either raises or lowers the shaft and wheel, or at least tends that way, whereby the spring underneath (shown in this view) is proportionately compressed, reflecting its elastic force against the rail through the wheel in contact therewith. This device is an auxiliary proper to the pneumatic springs herein shown, to be used, if need be, when the latter are unavailable or unnecessary, though it may act together without special provision or adj ustment.

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section of a suspended motor-car wherein a common piston within a cylinder is shown as the tension agent, applying the required force through pneumatic or other pressure applied at the bottom of said piston to press the driving-wheel (connected therewith as shown) against the track-rail above in a manner such as to equal many tons of weight, while in fact the weight of the whole structure is comparatively very small. In this view also is shown a pressure-chamber of modified form, and consists of a shallow vessel with a flexible top, constituting a diaphragm-regulator, which here simply takes the place of the cylinder and piston-regulator just described. In connection with this latter device, however, the pressure is applied to a friction-wheel shaft, which in turn is revolved by the electric motor or by any other kind of a motor. Here the object is to show that where there are no extraordinary grades to be overcome this system can be operated in absence of gearing entirely, friction alone under these circumstances being ample, and, indeed, where the pressure is, as it is here, almost limitless, regardless of weight, it is possible to ascend and descend with perfect safety grades such as would be impossible to encounter through the use of any known system. In this view is exhibited also a brake operated in the same manner, so the brake is made to carry out the purposes for which it is intended without regard to the weight of the car. It is applied to the railinstead of the wheel. Ience in descending grades the wheel is not essential in holding back the load, and in consequence never becomes flattened from this cause. In going up and down heavy grades it is of course supposed that the gear and rack will be brought into use, as, indeed, at these points the smooth rail ends and the rack takes its place.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of one form of motor-car adapted to this system and shows the beginning and ending of the two kinds of combined rail and electrical conductor, that is, the rack and the smooth rail, as designed for the purposes stated.

Fig. 6 is an end View of the device shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 represents a modified form of the device wherein the lower track is located directly underneath the upper track or tracks, as of course both sides would need to be alike. This, though convenient to illustrate the possibilities of the invention, cannot be so strongly recommended for practical use as can the three-rail system herein more prominently shown, especially for very rough hilly countries. However, as it is my intention to make the claims broad in this case, I have made this view to show that the matter is considered important for future operations.

Fig. 8 represents a portion or section of the rack D, or one form of it, used where the smooth rail would almost necessarily give place to it, as in ascending or descending very steep grades. In this view the said rack is shown upside down; otherwise the device could not be readily understood, though, as a. matter of fact, this part of the apparatus could be made in so many difierent shapes that its nature and objects could be understood from almost any design that would bear semblance to a rack in this connection.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body of a car suspended from an overhead track in the manner shown.

13 is a diaphragm-regulator (consisting of a shallow receptacle for gas or liquid, provided with a flexible top) located in carA and used to force the driving-wheel 0 (shown in dotted lines) up against the track D for traction purposes, or really to increase pressure in this direction to any desired extent, whereby the necessity for extraordinary structural weight to accomplish this object, as in the employment of ordinary locomotives or motor-cars, is entirely overcome. Here the sustainingrod E, which unites at the bottom with the flexible top F and at the top with shaft G, 1 supports the friction-wheel H, (shown indotted lines,) which wheel in turn supports the driving-wheel C, (also shown in dotted lines.) Thus the driving-wheel here shown may be operated by the friction-wheel driven by 1110- tors of any description, or may be driven direct with such motors or by pinion J, shown in connection with companion driving-wheel 0, located in the same car.

K represents a brake or brake-block, which is operated by a diaphragm I, in every way constructed and operated like that just described in connection with the driving-wheel O, or the pressure here, to the brake, may be applied through the means of a piston within a cylinder, as shown in connection with driving-wheel 0, wherein L represents a piston for the purpose of forcing the wheel up against the overhead rail D, through proper connections, which piston is operated through the admission of pneumatic or other suitable pressure beneath it in cylinder M, to which it is closely fitted. The fluid in all of these cases is made to flow or is regulated in its application through pipes N, which fluid is first compressed by electrical or other power and so maintained for use in a suitable receiver located in the car, or may be generated as required for direct application by the same means.

I desire here to state that I have designed electrical devices in connection with this pressure-prod ucing portion of the system for similar objects, but as the same are subjectmatter for future applications, which I intend to make for United States-patents, I will omit here a general description of the same.

The sliding blocks Q are partially supported by springs 0, so much so in fact that when the eccentric bearing or bearings P are thrown in position favorable to the object the proper degree of traction will be maintained in absence of all other provisions here made for that purpose, and as this pressure may be very perfectly regulated to meet every ordinary contingency in the operation of the motor and attached cars the other auxiliary traction promoter may frequently be dispensed with in such operation.

The center rail D is preferably made U- shaped, so as to admit of increasing its conductive power, if at any time necessary, by

. filling it wholly or in part with copper or some other element or alloy that is a better conductor of electricity than iron.

It will of course be understood that the outer or upper rails may be used as the electrical conductors and the discharge made through the lower rail or rails, though the reverse of this operation is the most desirable in practice. As an argument in favor of this is the fact that the under ones are at all times more free from foreign influences and easier insulated, as at W, where only a small amount of insulating material need be interposed between the rail and ties to prevent loss of electricity through the same.

In the modified form of the system (shown in Fig. 7) I have purposely omitted the details belonging to the pressure apparatus used in forcing the lower wheel or wheels against the lower track or tracks, for the reason that such apparatus may be identical with that used in connection with the driving-wheels and attendent devices shown in the other form of the invention.

Having thus described myinvention, what I here claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an elevated railway, suspended crossties provided on their upper, outer ends with rails, and on the opposite, or under side, with a traction rail or rails, substantially for the purposes set forth.

2. In an elevated railway, suspended crossties, provided on their upper, outer ends with rails, and on the opposite, or lower side with a rail, or rails in combination with a drivingwheel or driving-wheels in connection therewith as shown and described.

3. In an elevated railway, suspended crossties, provided on their upper, outer ends with rails, and the opposite, or lower side with a rail, or rails in combination with a drivingwheel, or driving-wheels adj usted to the lower rail from below by pneumatic or hydraulic pressure, to produce the requisite degree of traction substantially as above set forth.

4. In an elevated railway, the arrangement of a plurality of suspended cross-ties with rails attached to their upper, outer ends and a single rail located at or near the center, on the opposite side of the same ties, and an adjustable driving-wheel whereby the auxiliary pressure exerted in an upward (central) direction is greater than that which is exerted on either one of the upper rails in a downward direction, thus concentrating this pressure where it is needed for traction purposes, and distributing it where it wouldbe a detriment, in carrying out the objects of the invention.

5. In an elevated railway, a suspended car, supported by wheels resting on two (2) rails located at or near the outer ends of the connecting-ties, as shown, having an adjustable driving-wheel protruding from the top of said car to engage with a rail located underneath said ties, for the combined purpose of driving the car and conducting electricity, as and for the purposes and objects stated.

6. In an elevated railway, the combination with a plurality of suspended cross-ties, of rails located at their upper, outer ends and a toothed rack on the opposite side of the same ties, adapted to engage with a spur drivingwheel, protruding from the top of a swinging car located below said ties in the manner shown for the purpose of propelling the car from the center as illustrated.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBT. M. FRYER.

Witnesses:

W. C. AVERY, GEORGE BITTER. 

